MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Redshirt freshman Ceili McCabe of the West Virginia University track and field team finished in ninth place in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, with a time of 9:39.27, at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday night.
 
In her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut, McCabe broke the 3,000 meter steeplechase program school record for the third time in her career. She finished in sixth place in her heat and will move on to the final round, which will take place on Saturday, June 12, at 6:24 p.m. ET.
 
"Ceili was tremendous out there today," said coach Sean Cleary. "She is a little rough around the edges with her hurdling form, but that's normal for somebody so new to the event. Her poise and race execution are that of a veteran. We will now chat about the finals and how she might maximize her place on Saturday. This is very exciting."

The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, native is competing in her first career NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. McCabe qualified for the NCAA nationals with a third-place finish at the NCAA East Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 29. Her winning time of 9:51.81 was a school program record. 
 
McCabe helped lead the Mountaineers to their first-ever Big 12 Championship win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase competition at a conference meet. She ranks first in the Big 12 Conference in the event. 

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